Lens for automobile-headlights.



J. B. SUESS.

LENS FOR AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-8.1917.

1,269,978. Y PatentedJune 18, 1918.

f/g. Z. 5*

awuewtoz 13.5 M244 %1 6130mm:

JOHN B. SUESS, OI SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

LEN! 1'03 AUTOIOBILE-HEADLIGHTS.

lpceiacatloa of Letters Patent.

' Patented June 1a, 1918.

Application fled October 8, 1917. serial Io. 195,487.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known tat I, Jon B. Sores, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washin on, have invented a certain new and use ul Improvement in Lenses for Automobile-Headlights, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lenses for automobile head lights, and the object of 'my invention is to provide a glass lens which shall be adapted to be removably dis to serve as the front wall of the lam x of an automobile head light and ,w ich lens shall be of such character as shall cause it both to diffuse and soften the ra s of light that project outwardly .throug it from said lamp box thus to prevent said head light from projectin a glaring light that tends to blind and con so an observer who is in front of said head li ht.

I accomplish this ject by making a lens in accordance with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a lens embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a view of the same in cross-section on broken line 2, 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawin which like reference numera indicate like parts, 3 is a lens consisting of a circular glass plate whose rearward side 4 is-smooth and flat and whose frontward side surface, throughout its whole area, is provided with integral triangular prisms, hke prisms 5, which are disposed verticall each to be parallel with the others, the ases of adjacent ones thereof bei nti ous.

The prisms 5, thus fiis to corru to the entire surface of one side of the ens 3, in accordance with a well known physical law, serve to refract ra s of light pro ected therethrough from a lamp disposed at a distance from its anooth rearward side 4: and to cause such rays to be evenly distributed to project in sidewise diver lines from the frontward side of said lens 3.

When associated with the lamp box of an automobile head light that is provided'with a parabolic reflector, the lens 3 is disposed therein incidentally to serve as the front wall thereof with its prisms 5 projecting outwardly and .extendin in vertical parallel lines, and the lam within said lamp box is so disposed that t e axis of said parabolic reflector shall extend through the flame or throughout filament of said lam and through the cen tral portion 6 of the lens 3 in a manner well known. 7 y

In order to soften and diffuse the rays of light that are projected from the flame or ament of the lamp directly forward to and through the central portion 6 of said lens 3 thus to dim the glare of said rays, the surfaces of the A-shaped prisms 5 are roughened -or matted as by a sand blast, throughout the prisms 5, throughout the area of said lower,

portion 7, are roughened or matted, like the surfaces of said A-shaped prisms 5 within the area of'said central portion 6, the shape .of the area of said lower portion 7 being such that its middle portion extends upwardly to merge with the bottom edge of.

the central portion 6, as shown in Fig; 1 where all roughened or matted surfaces the prisms are indicated by a profusion of dots.

I am aware that lenses for automobile headlights have been heretofore made to embody a circular glass plate, one side of which is smooth and flat and whose other side is rovided with conti ous unmatted prisms isposed in vertical lines throughout only the central and upper rtion thereof, while the lower ortion t ereof is flat, matted and devoi of prisms, but such a lens does not prevent the glare of rays of light that are projected directlyfrom the lamps flame or filament itself to and through the central portion of said lens.

Manifestly, a square plate of glass may be substituted for the circular plate of gla and the dimensions of my lens may be chan without departing from the spirit of'm invention.

at I claim is:

A lens of the class described, which con; sists of a less plate oneside of which is smooth'an whose other side throughout its whole active area is provided with integral triangular prisms, the surfaces of said 21 'ineegeeie f prisms being matted at the central portion extends upwarflly to merge with the bottom in a horizontal line substantially one-third ed e of said central rtion.

of the distance across said lens, said sur= witness whereo I hereunto subscribe '10 faces of said prisnis being also matted my name this 29th day of September, A. D. 5 throughout the area of the lower portion, 191?; i v

the shape of the area of said lower mattezi portion being such that its middle portion JOHN B. SUESS. 

